On many hand-held weapons, the cheek rest portion of the gunstock may not be adjusted. It is merely positioned so that the vision through one eye of the average shooter will be roughly aligned with the line of sight determined by the gun sights. Hence, each individual shooter must adapt to the gun, by pressing his cheek into the cheek rest or by holding it slightly off the cheek rest, or even by placing a hand between his cheek and the cheek rest. Furthermore, the line of sight defined by the gun sights may be changed in order to compensate for elevation or lateral wind. When this is necessary, the shooter must again adjust his cheek position relative to the cheek rest, either vertically, horizontally or both. The necessity for such adjustments may detract from the shooter's ability to aim the weapon.
Hence, there is a need in this field for a cheek rest which may be adjusted to suit each individual shooter, and which may be adjusted in order to compensate for adjustments in the line of sight.